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2026, Number 1

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Med Crit 2026; 40 (1)

Cerebral glymphatic system: from the bases to its importance in the neurocritical patient

Carrillo ER, González MKI, Islas ÁRE, Palma MD

Language: Spanish
References: 40
Page: 54-61
PDF size: 1161.93 Kb.


ABSTRACT

The glymphatic cerebral system (GCS) is a waste clearance system composed of perivascular channels network, astrocytes and Aquaporin-4, that has the function of transporting and clearing cerebrospinal fluid, solutes, metabolites and neurotoxins from the brain parenchyma interstitium to meningeal lymphatic vessels. Disruption of the GCS in stroke, traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhages, meningitis, status epilepticus and other diseases leads to an accumulation of water, solutes, tau protein, β-amyloid and waste products and increased interstitial fluid, what results in brain edema, increase in intracranial pressure and neurodegeneration. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the CGS and its disruption in the neurocritical patient.


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